Safeguard

The project is not expected to have any adverse social impacts and does not trigger World
Bank Safeguard Policies Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 and Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP
4.12. The project interventions will contribute toward improving flow of information to farmers
by collecting reliable data on water regime. The small and marginal farmers dependent on water
resources will be able to take informed decisions. The hydromet system will be located on land,
close to the banks of rivers, that is generally government land. However, a screening matrix and
consultation action plan will be developed to ensure transparency in selection of land for
installation of equipment. The project will support the information dissemination to the farmers
and will set up a system for grievance management.

A broader social benefit of the project is that it will provide access for all stakeholders to the
web-based WRISs. Of particular value to the general public, especially rural people, women, and
farmers, will be real-time information on drought and flood, water regime, and crop water
requirements (disseminated through information and communications technology platforms,
community radio). A user satisfaction survey will be carried out at the start of the project, at
midterm, and at the completion of implementation, for feedback from beneficiaries, with
particular consideration of socially excluded groups and women, including women farmers. The
survey will provide information for further planning and corrective actions, if required. This will
be an essential part of citizen engagement and beneficiary feedback processes in the project.
Additionally, the project will (a) host state-level public consultations regularly during
implementation, to receive feedback and use these for improving implementation and (b)
publicize the World Bank’s grievance redress service.

Gender mainstreaming: Under the project, training of women and the participation of
women professionals in all aspects of activity implementation will be strongly encouraged and
prioritized as relevant. The project will explore convergence with the National Rural Livelihood
Project and the NGMIP, including the possibility of supporting the training of community-based
water monitoring and management by women-led self-help groups or other water organizations
(for example, water users’ organizations) where women have an active presence. Other
opportunities for engaging women and vulnerable groups and serving them directly or indirectly
will be actively explored during project implementation.

The project triggers Environmental Assessment OP/BP 4.01 as it might cause minor
potential environmental impacts arising from implementation of Components A and C. To
address this, the borrower has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA), which identifies
multiple enhancement opportunities in the project and proposes ways of mitigating small
negative impacts.

Component A that will set up monitoring stations, data centers, and associated facilities
and infrastructure, may have minor construction-related environmental impacts. Construction-
related impacts will be managed by application of National Building Codes in designing and
construction of the small buildings and careful in situ disposal of all construction wastes. The EA
highlighted the seriousness of water quality issues and the risk that water quality may be
marginalized by a typical focus on quantitative measurement. As a result, Component A has
mainstreamed substantial investment in augmenting water quality monitoring in the country.
Monitoring of water quality and incorporation of good environmental principles in the process of
preparation of basin plans have been mainstreamed in the project. The IAs have some of the
requisite capacities for undertaking water quality monitoring, as well as preparing basin/sub-
basin plans. Capacity gaps, with respect to analyses of water quality information and undertaking
special purpose water quality studies, where relevant, have been identified, and the necessary
capacity building plans are an essential component of the project.

Component A that will set up monitoring stations, data centers, and associated facilities
and infrastructure, may have minor construction-related environmental impacts. Construction-
related impacts will be managed by application of National Building Codes in designing and
construction of the small buildings and careful in situ disposal of all construction wastes. The EA
highlighted the seriousness of water quality issues and the risk that water quality may be
marginalized by a typical focus on quantitative measurement. As a result, Component A has
mainstreamed substantial investment in augmenting water quality monitoring in the country.
Monitoring of water quality and incorporation of good environmental principles in the process of
preparation of basin plans have been mainstreamed in the project. The IAs have some of the
requisite capacities for undertaking water quality monitoring, as well as preparing basin/sub-
basin plans. Capacity gaps, with respect to analyses of water quality information and undertaking
special purpose water quality studies, where relevant, have been identified, and the necessary
capacity building plans are an essential component of the project.

The EA, including its Executive Summary, was disclosed in-country on June 16, 2016
and in the World Bank InfoShop on June 29, 2016, and can be accessed from the website of the
ministry (www.mowr.nic.in) and www.indiawrm.org.

Overall, the project will contribute to sustainable environmental management in India and
will build capacity in environmental management. Greater use of hydrological models and
analytical tools based on improved data will help incorporate mainstream environmental
concerns into water resources planning and management. Project investments will make it easier
to collect information on environmental impacts, identify issues, and implement measures aimed
at diminishing adverse effects and enhancing positive ones.